Stolen, a unique theatre piece that uses dance, music and text, continues its development under conceiver-director-choreographer Barbara Siman with two Manhattan industry presentations May 26-27.

Conceived by Siman and written with screenwriter William Strouse, the still-forming show is a clutch of short pieces (some with original music, some with existing popular songs) linked by the idea of something stolen.

Five sections are being created, though four will be presented May 26-27 at Revelation Theater in New York City.

"In each segment something gets stolen," Siman told Playbill On-line. "It's a work in development that uses that uses dance, dialog, voice and music. It's a unique piece."

The show is set today and each segment varies in tone: the first (Not Just a Peach) is based on a Chekhov short story ("Because of Little Apples"), the second (Monday Morning, a Bus Stop) is comic, the third (The Last Word) is absurd, and the fourth (The Clinic) is comic. The fifth segment is in the works.

"It goes from drama to comedy to fun," Siman said. "All the dancing moves the story. It's a very accessible kind of movement, there's nothing arty at all about it. I have to say, every time I do it, people come back again to see what the next segment is. They really respond. It's a very different kind of piece — it's not Contact. You're not sure if you're watching a play or something with dance or something with music." Siman said she'd like to have "10 different segments and be able to switch them around during the week," in a kind of repertory situation.

"One of the reasons I wanted to do it this way is that when you're in the theatre, everyone sees something different," Siman said. "Some people see all the movement and they don't hear the dialogue. The intent in this piece is showing [a story] all different ways: In the movement, the dialog, the music. There's something on every level."

This is the third public presentation of the material. Siman has directed and choreographed musicals, concerts, cabaret shows and more. She will choreograph husband Charles Strouse's intimate new musical, Real Men, at Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami in the coming season. The couple previously worked together on Mayor.